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So I'm going to be coming up to the point at our dojo where I am going to have to get a skirt (I guess there's an answer for how to get a tomboy into a skirt) and I've started to look at options again. About 6 months ago I started shoving all my change into a jar to help save up and I've gotten to the $102.80 mark.

3 people in our dojo where the classic Bujin Blue cotton hakama. I love them. Apparently Bujin is more or less gone and given over to Aikido24. They don't have any blue Aikido hakama but there are kendo aizome ones. But the pictures look so purple!

I have met a kendo person recently and saw their hakama and it wasn't violet more rich blue. (Uber nice I thought.) The old Bujin ones are a dark blue with a stiff back piece, so a little different in color.

Has anyone bought this color hakama from Aikido24? $134 dollars is a lot for a college student and I don't want a purple hakama. Do is actually look dark blue?

So I'm going to be coming up to the point at our dojo where I am going to have to get a skirt (I guess there's an answer for how to get a tomboy into a skirt) and I've started to look at options again. About 6 months ago I started shoving all my change into a jar to help save up and I've gotten to the $102.80 mark.

3 people in our dojo where the classic Bujin Blue cotton hakama. I love them. Apparently Bujin is more or less gone and given over to Aikido24. They don't have any blue Aikido hakama but there are kendo aizome ones. But the pictures look so purple!

I have met a kendo person recently and saw their hakama and it wasn't violet more rich blue. (Uber nice I thought.) The old Bujin ones are a dark blue with a stiff back piece, so a little different in color.

Has anyone bought this color hakama from Aikido24? $134 dollars is a lot for a college student and I don't want a purple hakama. Do is actually look dark blue?

Bonus points for pictures!

Thanks

Zoe,

Considering I am also a poor college student, I would really recommend the e-bogu tetron hakama. I bought mine back in August when I got kicked out of the white belt ghetto. At 60 dollars, it's really worth it, unless you absolutely have to have a blue one.

So I'm going to be coming up to the point at our dojo where I am going to have to get a skirt (I guess there's an answer for how to get a tomboy into a skirt) and I've started to look at options again. About 6 months ago I started shoving all my change into a jar to help save up and I've gotten to the $102.80 mark.

3 people in our dojo where the classic Bujin Blue cotton hakama. I love them. Apparently Bujin is more or less gone and given over to Aikido24. They don't have any blue Aikido hakama but there are kendo aizome ones. But the pictures look so purple!

I have met a kendo person recently and saw their hakama and it wasn't violet more rich blue. (Uber nice I thought.) The old Bujin ones are a dark blue with a stiff back piece, so a little different in color.

Has anyone bought this color hakama from Aikido24? $134 dollars is a lot for a college student and I don't want a purple hakama. Do is actually look dark blue?

Bonus points for pictures!

Thanks

About the tomboy thing.... Yeah. The sort of hakama we wear in aikido is divided, so it isn't a skirt, dammit!

The Bujin haks at aikido24 are fine. They lack some of the things that made the former design of Bujin hakamas great, but they are sturdy, servicable, look nice and almost fit women well. In the world of martial arts uniforms, that is huge.

Shipping is very slow from Aikido24 unless they've changed from last year. My partner ordered a hak as an xmas gift for me in plenty of time for their stated 6 week wait, it arrived on Valentine's day. Communication is spotty. Order early (I'd give it 90 days) and follow up often through email.

Thanks for the response everyone. I tried the link and wow...$194. Looks like I'll still be collecting change.

@Krystal: I did read about your experiences. I'm planning to learn from them and get it earlier rather than later. It can always sit around my house for a month or two anyway.

@Malicat: I have a distaste for the tetron/ploy hakamas. My mother was a seamstress and I learned from an early age that getting mid tier cost clothes is much better in the long run. Plus the tetron/ poly blends don't have the same weight to them. Plus, yes I really must have a blue one.

@John: Thanks for the link. I now have a new, larger change jar and a goal. Only $91.20 to go!

@Michael: Thanks for the warning. I will now not freak out if the hakama comes purple/purplish and instead soak it.

Zoe, remember that a lot of cotton hakama dyed with indigo blue dye will color transfer to your dogi and any other surface for a while. You will need to "set" the color most likely. I'm sure someone here can tell you how. As I recall, it has to do with soaking the garment in vinegar or something like that.

Zoe, remember that a lot of cotton hakama dyed with indigo blue dye will color transfer to your dogi and any other surface for a while. You will need to "set" the color most likely. I'm sure someone here can tell you how. As I recall, it has to do with soaking the garment in vinegar or something like that.

Common myths, time to bust them again...

1. Vinegar does not "set" dye. It simply can't and doesn't.

2. The dye doesn't get "set" by anything you can possibly do to the garment. The garments have been overdyed; ie, more dye is sitting on them than their fibers could have possibly absorbed. Because, guess what? It looks and feels better to sell that way.
Your job is not to glue the dye to the outside of the garment; it's to get rid of it by repeated rinsing. Vinegar won't do anything but make it smell like you want to eat salad. Just keep washing in mild soapy water and rinsing over and over until the excess dye floats away.